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The LTTE cannot be defeated militarily, US tells Sri Lanka

..'' I don't think a military solution is possible without a parallel political strategy ''..

..'' Blake, however, suggested that while he thought that Sri Lanka remained committed to peace despite the military pursuing a military strategy, the LTTE's credentials vis-a-vis a negotiated settlement were doubtful. ''..

..'' As for the LTTE, I cannot say if they are committed to peace. Their record of 20 years shows they have never seriously pursued the peace option. The government will have to soon give them a chance to see if they are ready to negotiate in good faith. ''..

..'' But irrespective of what happens, he said 'we cannot imagine a situation' when the US would support an LTTE state, which for all practical purposes now exists in parts of Sri Lanka's north and where Colombo's writ does not run. 'The US takes a very hard line regarding the LTTE.' ''..

I think it is better to have a new CFA under the auspice of regional super powers like India and China.

80 million-rupee luxury BMWs for new ministers

Contrary to assurances that the new ministers in the super-size Cabinet of President Mahinda Rajapaksa will only be drawing their salaries as parliamentarians and not be given any perks, a scramble for luxury vehicles by the new ministers has begun.

Early this week Treasury Secretary P. B. Jayasundera directed Director General Budget Sudharma Karunaratne to prepare a policy guideline circular on allocation of new vehicles.

Dr. Jayasundera, said that only four applications had been received so far and they were being approved on a case by case basis and provisions provided for through miscellaneous votes as these expenses were not envisaged in the last budget.

The Sunday Times however, learns that as many as 40 new luxury vehicles were likely to be ordered.

Unconfirmed reports said the vehicles were bullet proof BMWs like the one that saved the life of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse on December 1 and may cost about Rs. 80 million each.

It is also learnt that while the Treasury is merely approving and providing financial allocations, the actual procurement of vehicles is being done by the presidential secretariat.

UNP calls on government to disclose secret deal with LTTE

Sripathi?s revelation comes to parliament

Ratnasiri denies pact with Tigers

Has govt. compromised national security, asks Joseph

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

The opposition yesterday demanded to know from the government whether it has struck any unholy deals with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) thereby undermining national security and what the purpose behind such a deal was.

However, the government vehemently refuted the charge of alleged links with the LTTE as being completely false with no basis whatsoever.

Making a special statement in parliament yesterday, Chief Opposition Whip, Joseph Michael Perera said that serious allegations have been leveled against the administration by former Minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi that the government indeed had forged strong and direct links with the LTTE thereby undermining national security.

Further, Perera said that Sooriyaarachchi has claimed at a recent press conference as well as in a newspaper interview that he would substantiate the above facts with documentary evidence.

'The above allegations are extremely serious and they certainly merit inquiry as well as a response from the government,' Perera said.

The Chief Opposition Whip also noted that these allegations of undermining national security had been raised by two politicians who held responsible government office until recently and were certainly aware of the inner workings of the current administration.

'Some of the allegations are significant. Sooriyaarachchi has on both occasions claimed that the government deliberately set out to capture the Eastern Province instead of attacking Kilinochchi, the Tiger heartland as part of a secret pact. He has made serious allegations about the government?s military strategy and about capturing barren land as opposed to launching direct offensives on LTTE held territories. Further, Sooriyaarachchi has offered to substantiate each of these facts with electronic evidence,' Perera told parliament.

The Opposition Chief Whip urged that if the allegations are true, the government has indeed compromised national security for political gain.

'We demand that clarifications be offered whether the government actually entered into any secret pact with the Liberation Tigers, and if so, to explain the contents and as to who signed the agreement, when and where and for what purpose. Or is it going to be concealed from this House as well as from this country despite our right to know whether this government is indeed culpable of an act of treason?' Perera questioned.

In response, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake categorically rejected that the government had any pact with the LTTE entered into at any given time.

Vehemently denying the charge, he said that there was no such agreement and as such, he was not in a position to provide a copy of a non-existent agreement.

'I cannot produce a copy of something that does not exist. My only advice to the opposition is to contact the person who made this allegation and try to secure a copy. As a government, we are free of blame,' Wickremanayake said.

At the time of the making of the statement, both former ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi occupied their newly allocated sixth row seats.

UNP too in the fray
Chandrika-Mangala alliance in the offing
The much talked about nexus between President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and ousted Minister Mangala Samaraweera and the JVP is emerging once again.
According to informed sources it is likely that former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Shripathi Sooriyarachchi will form an alliance with former President Chandrika Kumaratunga to oppose President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The duo is likely to join hands with JVP to achieve their objective and their main focus these days is to push President Mahinda Rajapaksa towards the dissolution of Parliament.
Although the UNP is not in direct truck with this alliance they too are working with some understanding with the Mangala ? Shripathi nexus to bring the government down.
Soon after the birthday celebrations of Minister Anura Bandaranaike, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga visited Mangala Samaraweera at his Stanmore Crescent residence during the wee hours of parody unlike Minister Samaraweera still having a meeting with his close associates.
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga had apparently found fault with Anura Bandaranaike for having left Mangala Samaraweera and joining hands with President Rajapaksa.
However, when President Chandrika Kumaratunga?s sentiments were conveyed to Mr. Anura Bandaranaike he has snapped back saying ?I have better things to do rather than wearing dark glasses and going from commission to commission seeking protection,? an attempt to justify his position.
Early this week too former President Chandrika Kumaratunga had telephoned Mr. Bandaranaike and had given him an earful for having gone back to the fold of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
What political analysts question is how the intended alliance is going to work out especially between the pro-devolution UNP and the anti-devolution JVP. But earlier too former President Kumaratunga who is pro-devolution was able to form an alliance with the JVP to defeat the UNP government.

The LTTE cannot be defeated militarily

one can quite safely assume the present regime is *CONFUSED* to the core.

them up and when the SLA starts running they need the

UNP calls on government to disclose secret deal with LTTE